WWE WrestleMania 36 will take place on Apr. 5 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT live on the WWE Network with the kickoff show beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. The following will address some early match card predictions almost four months away from a PPV that assimilates to the SuperBowl in NFL.
Annual Women’s Battle Royal
Lacey Evans should win this year’s Women’s Battle Royal. She has already battled in high caliber women’s championship matches with Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch and will soon battle in another one with SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley.
Clearly, she wont be dethroning Bayley so a good consolation prize for her many failed opportunities at capturing gold would be to win this battle royal. Such a victory at WrestleMania 36 would keep her in the conversation for a future championship opportunity in 2020.
Prediction: Lacey Evans
Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Erick Rowan should win this year’s Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal and use this victory as an opportunity to finally reveal what is in his cage. Unfortunately, his run with Luke Harper in the ‘mystery attacker’ storyline on SmackDown did not go his way since the end of that rivalry resulted in a loss to Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan.
However, since getting drafted to Raw, his new gimmick of containing something mysterious in the cage has got the majority of the WWE Universe speculating about it. Clearly, this superstar loves mystery storylines and his great work this year should not be rewarded with a championship just yet but at least with a battle royal victory at WrestleMania 36.
Prediction: Erick Rowan
John Morrison and The Miz (c) vs. The New Day vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro (w/Sami Zayn) vs. Shorty G and Ali vs. The Revival vs. Heavy Machinery vs. RooDolph vs. Usos [SmackDown Tag Team Championships: Tag Team Turmoil]
The SmackDown Tag Team Division has the most depth out of all the tag team divisions in the WWE today. Thanks to such depth, all of the tag teams are deserving of being in the SmackDown Tag Team Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 36.
Henceforth, a tag team turmoil match would be fitting. Assuming that John Morrison and The Miz dethrone The New Day at WWE Royal Rumble 2020, they should retain the SmackDown Tag Team Championships in this foreseeable demolition derby at WWE WrestleMania 36.
Prediction: John Morrison and The Miz
Authors of Pain (c) vs. Samoa Joe and Big Show [Raw Tag Team Championships]
The Raw Tag Team Division has been very repetitive lately with Viking Raiders as Raw Tag Team Champions. Their continuous mauling of jobbers has gone stale and this division desperately needs a resurgence of some sort before it’s too late.
Assuming that Authors of Pain dethrone the Viking Raiders before WrestleMania 36, they should defend the Raw Tag Team Championships against Samoa Joe and Big Show. Samoa Joe is the superstar who recruited Big Show to fend off Seth Rollins and AOP in the first place, so he and Big Show would be a fitting tag team at this point in time.
Their current main event feud could really add some prestige to the Raw Tag Team Championships. If this match occurs, Samoa Joe and Big Show should win to finally avenge the ‘pain’ AOP had caused them on the road to WWE WrestleMania 36.
Prediction: Samoa Joe and Big Show
Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles [Retirement Match]
Randy Orton and AJ Styles reignited their WrestleMania 35 rivalry once they screwed each other out of the United States Championship picture. AJ Styles screwed Orton by costing him the number one contender’s spot for the championship and Orton screwed Styles by costing him the United States Championship to Rey Mysterio last month.
Looking back at their track record, Styles defeated Orton at WrestleMania 35. Although it can be argued that AJ Styles should win this match to finally get his revenge for Orton not only costing him the United States Championship to Rey Mysterio last month but also faking a career-ending injury to prank him with an RKO two weeks ago on Raw, 50:50 booking should be implemented here so that Orton can get his revenge on Styles for costing him a championship opportunity and stealing his WrestleMania moment last year.
Although it was a prank, Orton’s injury scare this month made the WWE Universe remember how essential he is to the WWE and he is a future ballot hall of famer. A victory over AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 will remind everyone why ninety-nine percent is good enough but not good enough to beat Randy Orton.
Prediction: Randy Orton
Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade [Retirement Match]
Our Kevin Parvizi has already addressed the rumors of Rey Mysterio potentially retiring at WrestleMania 36. If he does so, his ultimate opponent should be Andrade, with whom he has had show-stealing matches throughout the end of 2018 to the beginning of 2019.
On top of that, they are currently in a United States Championship rivalry. Assuming that Andrade loses the United States Championship before WrestleMania 36, he could be the prime candidate to end Rey Mysterio‘s career at WrestleMania 36.
Rey Mysterio has had an incredible career, but it is evident his last match should result with him falling on his back. He has always wanted to pass the torch to Andrade, and this moment would be ideal for that transaction to be made.
Prediction: Andrade
King Corbin vs. John Cena [Retirement Match]
At WrestleMania 35, King Corbin ended Kurt Angle’s career and many WWE fans thought John Cena would have been more fitting for that role when considering his historical rivalry with Angle in past. Since John Cena reportedly wants a substantial role at WrestleMania 36, a renewed rivalry against King Corbin would be fitting for him to partake in.
Let’s not forget that John Cena is the superstar who costed King Corbin’s MITB cash-in in 2017 against Jinder Mahal on SmackDown. Now that King Corbin has evolved into a top star on Friday Night SmackDown, it would be thrilling to see him go at it with Cena one more time.
Since Kurt Angle’s last match was against Corbin, Cena should put his career on the line against Corbin to scare the WWE Universe into thinking that his last match would be against Corbin as well. However, Cena should pick up the win here to avoid ending his career just yet and prove why he is still a significant part of the WWE family despite his new part time schedule and illustrious Hollywood career. Hopefully, he also references his Hollywood buddy, The Rock’s, ‘STD’ joke to get Corbin worked up for their potential match.
Prediction: John Cena
Braun Strowman (c) vs. Sheamus [Intercontinental Championship]
Assuming Braun Strowman dethrones Shinsuke Nakamura at WWE Royal Rumble 2020, he should defend his first main roster singles championship against Sheamus. Not only has Sheamus made an impactful return on Friday Night SmackDown but the Intercontinental Championship has also eluded his entire career.
Sheamus is one step away from reaching his grand slam and a victory over Strowman at WrestleMania 36 to accomplish that would be an amazing feat for his career. He has toppled bigger superstars (i.e. Big Show in 2012-2013) before and it would not be too far fetched to see him do it again and ravage Strowman.
However, Strowman should retain the championship at WrestleMania 36 because Sheamus’ prime has been long gone and Strowman’s first main roster championship run should not be less than three months. A monster like him should be dominant in the mid card for a very long time so that he can be considered for main roster championship opportunities in the future.
Prediction: Braun Strowman
Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Aleister Black [United States Championship]
The rivalry between Buddy Murphy and Aleister Black is unparalleled. Although Murphy has lost to Aleister Black three times already, it seems that he cannot live with never defeating him. But all he needs is ‘one more match’ (Christian, is that you?).
Now that Murphy has recently joined Seth Rollins and AOP, he would be the perfect mid car superstar for their faction. Assuming he wins the United States Championship from either Andrade or Rey Mysterio before WrestleMania 36, Murphy should defend his championship against Aleister Black.
This will give him a grand opportunity to get his win back. However, it might just be a tease because Aleister Black is known for rarely losing in the WWE and he might pick up the victory here regardless of how amazing it would be for Murphy to pick up the win here.
Prediction: Aleister Black
Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre [Dream Match]
Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre is a ‘money match’ in every sense of the word. There have been some rumors of Lesnar and McIntyre going to war at WrestleMania 36 for the WWE Championship, but it might happen as a non-title match if Lesnar loses the championship to another superstar before WrestleMania 36.
Since both Lesnar and McIntyre are in the Men’s Royal Rumble this year, an easy way to set up this match is by having McIntyre eliminate Lesnar from the Rumble. This will persuade Lesnar to believe that McIntyre is worthy enough to wrestle him on the grandest stage of them all.
McIntyre’s recent babyface turn is quite a sign of things to come against Lesnar. However, this turn also feels forced and will not likely warrant him a victory over the Beast Incarnate. Depending on the build up, McIntyre may change everyone’s mind about his face turn but it is clear he is better fit in a heel role so Lesnar should win here.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar
Triple H vs. The Rock [Dream Match]
Triple H usually has a match at WrestleMania and this year’s WrestleMania is in Tampa, Florida so The Rock will most likely appear. The Rock and Triple H had continuously teased a WrestleMania match in 2014, especially at WrestleMania 31 when they had a memorable segment with Ronda Rousey.
Since Triple H has not yet stirred up beef with any male superstar on the main roster, this year might be the year he finally goes to war with The Rock. It’s always fun to have a part timer match on the card, like WrestleMania 35 did with Triple H and Batista.
If this match occurs, The Rock should win because Triple H frequently tells The Rock that he has nothing to prove to him since he has beaten him multiple times. Also, it’s been a long time since the WWE Universe has smelt what The Rock is cooking.
Prediction: The Rock
Kabuki Warriors (c) vs. Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross [Women’s Tag Team Championships]
The Kabuki Warriors won their first Women’s Tag Team Championships when they dethroned Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross at WWE Hell in a Cell 2019. Ever since then, Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross have never obtained their championship rematch and have continuously emphasized how they aspire to become two time Women’s Tag Team Champions.
WrestleMania 36 could be the stage where they accomplish those aspirations. Many naysayers may declaim that Alexa Bliss is always in the spotlight, but they cannot deny that she has never won a match at WrestleMania.
At WrestleMania 33, she lost the SmackDown Women’s Championship to Naomi. At WrestleMania 34, she lost the Raw Women’s Championship to Nia Jax. At WrestleMania 35, she was not even in a match because she was the host instead (which she did an incredible job at).
Now that Alexa Bliss is in a successful tag team with Nikki Cross, she needs to pick up her first WrestleMania victory. As great as Kabuki Warriors have been as Women’s Tag Team Champions, it would be a blissful feat for Bliss and Cross to become the first ever two-time Women’s Tag Team Champion on the grandest stage of them all: WWE WrestleMania 36.
Prediction: Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross
Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks [SmackDown Women’s Championship]
It is evident that no one is more deserving of dethroning Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Championship than Sasha Banks. Whether she wins the Rumble and challenges Bayley at WrestleMania or turns her back on her at the Elimination Chamber PPV (like she did in Elimination Chamber 2018), Banks needs to be Bayley’s opponent at WrestleMania 36. Like Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks is a deserving superstar who has not yet won a big match at WrestleMania.
At WrestleMania 32, she lost to Charlotte Flair in a show stealing women’s championship triple threat match with Becky Lynch. At WrestleMania 33, she lost to Bayley in a Raw Women’s Championship fatal four way match with Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax.
At WrestleMania 34, she participated in the first ever Women’s Battle Royal but failed to win it, thanks to Naomi. Finally, At WrestleMania 35, she lost the Women’s Tag Team Championships with Bayley to IIconics.
Clearly, Banks needs to win at this year’s WrestleMania. Her recent return to the WWE, hair color change, and exciting heel role has not yet gained the momentum it deserves and that should be justified with a WrestleMania moment over her best friend, who dethroned her for the NXT Women’s Championship at the end of their rivalry in NXT.
Prediction: Sasha Banks
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair [Raw Women’s Championship]
If Shayna Baszler does not get called up to the main roster or Ronda Rousey does not return, Becky Lynch may be stuck defending her Raw Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair. Since many may be annoyed with these two superstars wrestling so many times, a ‘Last Chance’ Match would be fitting for them.
That way, whoever becomes champion will no longer have to defend her championship against the other ever again. If this occurs, Lynch should retain the championship and spark a rivalry with Shayna Baszler on the Raw after WrestleMania 36, which would be an ideal time for Baszler to debut on the main roster.
Honestly, it would be ten times better if the WWE somehow combines Bayley-Sasha Banks with Lynch-Flair into a Four Horsewomen showdown at WrestleMania 36 and book Sasha Banks to become Sasha Two Belts. However, that could be wishful thinking.
Prediction: Becky Lynch
Bray Wyatt (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan [Universal Championship]
It looks like Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan are both invested in the Universal Championship for their roads to WrestleMania 36 but for different reasons. Daniel Bryan wants to defeat Bray Wyatt to prove that his mental stability will overcome Wyatt’s insanity.
Meanwhile, Roman Reigns wants to capture the Universal Championship he never lost. Ever since his fight against leukemia, he has not yet received his Universal Championship rematch and the rumored Reigns vs. Wyatt match at WrestleMania 36 could come to fruition.
However, a triple threat championship match amongst Wyatt, Reigns, and Bryan would be so much better and also a nice twist. Wyatt’s championship matches have always been one-on-one but maybe the secret to defeating him is through numbers game.
Reigns could pin Bryan to win the championship and Bryan could do the same to Reigns. However, with the exception of the below-average matches, Wyatt’s run has been nothing but spectacular and should result in a victory for him on the grandest stage of them all.
Prediction: Bray Wyatt
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Kevin Owens [WWE Championship]
The WWE Championship has eluded Kevin Owens his entire career. The best person to dethrone for that championship would be Seth Rollins, if Rollins were to somehow capture the championship before WrestleMania 36.
Rollins and Owens began their rivalry ever since the Town Hall Meeting after Survivor Series 2019. A WWE Championship match between them would be worthwhile and Owens coming out on top would make things even sweeter. KO Mania, BABY!
Prediction: Kevin Owens